The WA Government will boost its Streamline WA regulatory reforms to help fire-up WA’s COVID-19 economic recovery.
The State Government’s package includes $2.25 million over the next two years to expand the Small Business Friendly Approvals Project to an extra 20 local governments.
The project aims to reduce approval timeframes and costs for small business and follows successful pilot programs with the City of Canning and Stirling.
Mining, tourism and development
In addition, legislation will be introduced to amend four laws to simplify approval decisions for mining, tourism and other developments.
Approvals processes will be improved across the Swan Canning Riverpark. Duplication will be removed from licencing and permit approval procedures and mapping processes will be streamlined to provide clarity and certainty for tourism operators.
A single approval instrument will be introduced to approve mining activities across multiple tenements. A new process for low impact exploration and prospecting activities will allow for automated approvals, subject to acceptance of standardised conditions.
Mining projects will only need to make one annual environment report, reducing the current requirements of up to three reports under three separate acts. Reporting frequency will also be reduced after three years for projects with satisfactory reporting.
Simple one-stop-shop
Key approvals agencies will roll into an online ‘one-stop-shop’ for approvals through the wa.gov.au website from January 1, 2021, with more to follow from March 1, 2021.
The site will provide more accessible plain-language guidance.
Agencies will also be required to publish more performance data to make sure they are more accountable for meeting timelines.
Treasurer Ben Wyatt says listened to many organisations and individuals since Streamline WA was launched in December 2018.
“It is critical to Western Australia’s economic recovery that we give businesses every encouragement to grow and create jobs, and the Government will play its part by simplifying rules and regulations to get faster decisions,” he said.
The Chamber of Commerce WA has helped drive reform as part of Streamline WA’s steering committee.
CCIWA CEO Chris Rodwell welcomed the enhanced reforms and the State Government’s commitment to addressing the critical issues identified.
This is the kind of reform that costs taxpayers nothing, yet makes a real difference to business and delivers major results for the economy, he said.
